Counter means



Nov. 17, 1964 D. HENRY 3,157,354

COUNTER MEANS Filed May 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 :1 X Fz'geZ W: Wm m p r I.--l l Ill Hlllil 'lllll z:

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- COUNTER MEANS Filed May 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v //VVEN TOR L v5. 0. HEM? v 7 By I I ilwuixi fl United States Patent M 3,157,354 COUNTER MEANS Lyell D. Henry, 2234 Knapp St., Ames, Iowa Filed May 16, 1962, Ser. No. 195,095 3 Ciairns. (Cl. 235-119) This invention relates to a counter means and one that is particularly adapted for counting the number of renditions that have been played by a phonograph over a given period of time.

While my device may be used wherever and whenever a counter. is desired, it is especially adapted for use with phonographs having automatic record changing mechanisms. There are many reasons for a counting means for such phonographs. A counter can indicate the number of renditions that have been played and thereby signify when the needle should be replaced. Also, a counter will indicate the number of times a group of records has been played. Furthermore and inasmuch as records have definite playing times, it is a simple matter to calculate the number of hours a phonograph has been played since its last repair date. 7

Therefore, one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a counting means for phonographs and like.

A furtherobject of this invention is to provide a counting device that consists of relatively few parts.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a counting means that will automatically return to a new series count after it has passed its highest recordable figure.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a counting unit that is economical in manufacture, durable in use, and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my device in use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the device and more fully illustrates its construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the the actuating arm;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of my device showing the small numeral pointer indicator;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective exploded view of the parts that go to make up my counter means; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of my device taken on line 66 of FIG. 2. a

In the drawings I have used the numeral 10 to generally designate a phonograph having a base 11, turntable 12, and horizontally movable needle arm 13. In the drawings I use the needle arm 13 to actuate my counting device inasmuch as the device shown will work on either automatic record changing phonographs, or manually operated phonographs. In the case of electrically operated phonographs having automatic changing means, the specific means of actuating my counter may be modified, such as by an electric hookup with the record changer wherein an electromagnet may be used to move the counter arm each time the record changer moves in one direction. I have used the numeral 15 to designate an ordinary magnet block. Secured to this block 15 is a base 16 having a downward extending flange 17 at one end and a downwardly extending flange 19 at its other end. The top of evice showing this base 16' is fiat, and extending upwardly from the center of its fiat top is a post shaft 2%). Rotatably embracing the post shaft 20 is a ratchet toothed wheel 21. Secured to the center top of the wheel 21 is a cylindrical Patented Nov. 17, 1964 bearing 22 and which also rotatably embraces the post shaft 20. Rotatably embracing the cylindrical bearing 22 is a second ratchet toothed wheel 23. The ratchet wheel 21 rests on the base 16 and the ratchet wheel 23 rests on top of the ratchet wheel 21. The ratchet teeth of both wheels 21 and 23 are on the peripheries of these two wheels, respectively, and ratchet in the same direction. The heart of the structure of my device is that the number of ratchet teeth on the wheel 21 is less than that of the number of ratchet teeth on the wheel 23. I recommend that the number of ratchet teeth on the wheel 21 be fortynine and the teeth on the wheel 23 be fifty. Another illustration would be ninety-nine teeth on the wheel 21 and one hundred teeth on the wheel 23. By such an arrangement, if a single movable pawl arm were used, the wheel 21 would gain one tooth over the wheel 23, for each rotation of the wheel 23. The numeral 25 designates a pointer above the wheel 23, but secured to the top of the cylinder bearing 22. An assembly nut 26 may be threaded onto the top of the post shaft. A numeraled count scale is imposed on the top of the wheel 23 and the needle 25 reads thereon. The scale may be marked in the hundreds, as shown in FIG. 5. On the periphery of the wheel 23 is a lower count scale showing the individual number of complete revolutions of the wheel 23. A pointer 27 is secured to the flange 1? and reads on this periphery scale as shown in FIG. 4. The numeral 29 designates my flexible resilient actuating arm having its lower end hingedly secured to the flange 17, as shown in FIG. 3. Extending horizontally from the base 16 are three spaced apart projections 30, 31 and 32, as shown in FIG. 5. The lower length of the arm 29 resides in the space between the projections 31 and 32 and this space must be of an area sufiiciently to permit limited swinging action of the arm 29, as shown by broken lines in FIG. 3. The arm 29 extends upwardly a substantial distance above the wheel 23 and its length extends at the sides of the two wheels 21 and 23. The diameters of the ratchet tooth peripheries of the wheels 21 and 23 are the same and are closely adjacent the arm. 29. The numeral 33 designates a pawl finger on the arm 29 which slidably contacts the ratchet teeth of both the wheels 21 and 23. A U-spring 35 yieldingly holds the arm 2% in a rearward position of its swinging movement. This is accomplished by hooking one end of the spring around the forward edge of the arm and having the other end of the spring engage the lug 32, as shown in FIG. 3.

With the device placed on the base 11 and secured thereto by any suitable means such as the magnet block 15, the upper end area of the arm 29 will be in the path of the needle arm 13 when it moves to the side ater playing a record. Thus the needle arm or like will actuate the fiexible arm forwardly as far as the arm is permitted to move in the space between the two projections 31 and 32, and then will slidably pass over the top area of the flexible arm which has been twisted at a point above the pawl finger 33 to present a face side to the needle arm. Below this one-half twist point in the arm, the side edges of the arm are facing forwardly and rearwardly and not flexibly bendable. The forward movement of the pawl finger 33 will catch one tooth of the wheel 21 and one tooth of the wheel 23 and rotate the wheels accordingly. This space between the two projections 31 and 32 is such that the arm 29 will move the two wheels only the distance of one of their respective teeth. The spring 35 will return the arm 29 rearwardly to engage the projection 31, after the needle arm has passed over it. However, it is necessary that the wheels not be reversely rotated by the back movement of the arm 29. To accomplish this I have secured the lower end of a flexible resilient bar 36 to the flange 17. This bar 36 has a stop finger 37 extending toward and normally finger 37.

After the arm 29 has been actuated the sufficient number of times to cause the wheel 21 to make one complete revolution, the wheel 23 will lack one tooth dis-- tance from making one complete revolution. Therefore there will be a different relative speed between the two wheels 21 and 23, and the count-difference will be recorded by the needle M reading on the numbered scale on the top or" the wheel 23 and by the needle 27 reading on the numbered scale on the periphery of the wheel 23. I

To reset the counters at any time, it is merely necessary to pull the bar 36 away from the Wheels 21 and 23 and rotate the wheels 21 and 23 to the desired relative positions. A handle 39 is on the top of the bar 36 to facilitate the manual movement of the bar 36.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my counter means without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanicalequivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim: 7 I

1. In a counting means, comprising, in combination,

a base,

a post shaft on said base,

a wheel rotatably mounted on said post shaft having ratchet teeth extending around its peripher a second wheel operatively rotatably mounted around said post shaft having ratchet teeth extending around its periphery,

a finger engaging the ratchet teeth of said first and second wheels capable of movably rotating said two wheels the distance of one of their respective teeth when it isinoved in one direction, said finger pivotally mounted to said base and movable about an axis normal to the axis of said post shaft,

means forpreventing the rotation of said two wheels in a direction opposite from that of their movements actuated by said movable finger,

indicia on one of said wheels,

and an indicator on the other wheel reading on the wheel having the indicia;

the other of said wheels having a less number of teeth than the number of teeth on the wheel having the indicia. I

2. in a counting means, comprising in combination:

an inverted channel base, said base havinga pair of spaced apart projections'extending outwardly from said one channel leg;

a post shaft on said base;

a wheel rotatably mounted on said post shaft having ratchet teeth extending around its periphery;

a second wheel operatively rotatably mounted around said post shaft having ratchet teeth extending around its periphery;

an upstanding finger pivotally connected at one end to the outside of one of said channel leg members, said finger engaging the ratchet teeth of said first and second wheels capable of movably rotating said two wheels the distance of one of the respective teeth when it is moved in one direction, said finger being adapted to pivot between said projections, said finger being of a plate material and having an upper end portion twisted into a plane at approximately degrees to the plane of the lower portion of said finger, and said lower portion pivotally connecting said finger to said channel leg;

a V-shaped spring element having a hook portion on one end adapted to engage said finger, the other leg of said spring adapted to bear against one of said projections, to normally urge said finger toward the other ofsaid projections;

means for preventing the rotation of said two wheels in a directionopposite from that of their movements actuated by said movable finger; V

indicia on one of said wheels; and

an indicator on the other wheel reading on the wheel having the indicia;

the other of said wheels having a less number of teeth than the number of teeth on the wheel having the indicia.

3.- The structure of claim 2 wherein said base has a 7 third spaced apart projection extending outwardly from said one channel leg, and wherein said preventing means comprises an elongated plate of resilient niaterial'secured to said one channel at one end and having a portion thereof extending between one of said pair of projections and said third projection, said preventing means being adapted to yieldably engage the teeth of said wheels, and to be disengaged therefrom by outward flexing from said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 143,651 Wheeler Oct. 14, 1873 299,733 Burns June 3, 1884 436,805 7 Rose Sept. 23, 1890 2,076,409 McClure Apr. 6, 1937 2,254,810 Will Sept. 2, 1941 2,637,498 Pond May 5, 1953 v I FOREIGN PATENTS 363,849 Germany Nov. 14-, 1922 

1. IN A COUNTING MEANS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BASE, A POST SHAFT ON SAID BASE, A WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID POST SHAFT HAVING RATCHET TEETH EXTENDING AROUND ITS PERIPHERY, A SECOND WHEEL OPERATIVELY ROTATABLY MOUNTED AROUND SAID POST SHAFT HAVING RATCHET TEETH EXTENDING AROUND ITS PERIPHERY, A FINGER ENGAGING THE RATCHET TEETH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND WHEELS CAPABLE OF MOVABLY ROTATING SAID TWO WHEELS THE DISTANCE OF ONE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE TEETH WHEN IT IS MOVED IN ONE DIRECTION, SAID FINGER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO SAID BASE AND MOVABLE ABOUT AN AXIS NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF SAID POST SHAFT, MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE ROTATION OF SAID POST SHAFT, IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE FROM THAT OF THEIR MOVEMENTS ACTUATED BY SAID MOVABLE FINGER, INDICIA ON ONE OF SAID WHEELS, AND AN INDICATOR ON THE OTHER WHEEL READING ON THE WHEEL HAVING THE INDICIA; THE OTHER OF SAID WHEELS HAVING A LESS NUMBER OF TEETH THAN THE NUMBER OF TEETH ON THE WHEEL HAVING THE INDICIA. 